BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama A&M women's soccer has picked right up where they left off last season as they have earned a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Weekly Awards as senior goalkeeper Laura Jansa (Barcelona, Spain) and freshman defender K'la Barnes-Blackwood (Margate, Fla.) were named Goalkeeper and Defender of the Week, respectively, as announced by the league on Wednesday, August 31.
 
It is the first such honor for both individuals following a tremendous opening week that saw the program surrender only a single goal over three games against non-conference foes.
 
GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK – LAURA JANSA
Jansa delivered an incredible week over the course of those three games, a stretch that would see her post a miniscule goals against average of 0.33, with 19 saves and a pair of shutout victories.
 
She would also notch a .950 save percentage while playing all 270 minutes and recording three shots, two on net, while coming up to handle free kicks.
 
The former field player opened the week against in-state foe Troy (8/22) and allowed them nothing, making seven saves on a 17-shot barrage. That effort propelled the Bulldogs to a 1-0 victory with a goal in the 79^th minute and she would add two shots on the offensive end.
 
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK – K'LA BARNES-BLACKWOOD
Barnes-Blackwood produced a tremendous effort over the course of three games this past week and was a key factor in each.
 
In those games she played 201 minutes and helped anchor a defense that produced two shutouts and had a scoreless stretch of 253 minutes into their third game of the week.
 
The newcomer opened the week by playing 81 minutes against in-state foe Troy and not only was a major contributor in keeping them scoreless, she also sent them to the loss column as she lofted a ball over the keeper and off the bottom of the crossbar in the 79^th minute for what would be the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory.
 
She followed that one with 69 minutes against Jacksonville State in what would be another dominant defensive effort. This one would also be a 1-0 blanking to secure the team's second win of the season.
 
The finale of a rare three-game week would see Barnes-Blackwood logging 51 minutes against a solid Jacksonville team. In that one the Bulldogs would surrender just one goal, that in the final minute of the first half, and fall by that narrowest of 1-0 margins. That completed a 2-1 non-conference week that saw them allow just one goal and produce a pair of shutouts.
 
Jansa, Barnes-Blackwood and the Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow, Thursday, September 1 as they travel to Southern Illinois. The first meeting between the programs will kick off at 6 p.m. in Carbondale, Illinois.
 
2022 ALABAMA A&M WEEKLY SWAC HONORS
Goalkeeper of the Week
Laura Jansa (8/31)
 
Defensive Player of the Week
K'la Barnes-Blackwood (8/31)